A woman was taken to hospital and a law office was evacuated after an explosion in Winnipeg's Fort Rouge area Friday morning.
A woman was seriously hurt in the explosion, Winnipeg police spokesman Const. Eric Hofle said.
"I'm not sure exactly how this device came to be in her possession, whether it was mailed or dropped off or something like that," Hofley said. "However it came into her possession, it was an explosive device that was triggered inadvertently."
he Petersen King law office at 252 River Ave., near the Midtown Bridge, around 10:15 a.m. CT
The MIRV, a converted transit bus used for emergencies involving large numbers of people, was called to the scene, along with several police cars, fire trucks and the city's hazardous materials unit. The city's bomb unit was also called, and entered the building around 12:15 p.m. CT.
Hofley confirmed the woman, who suffered serious upper body injuries, was located in the area by an officer after police were called to the scene.
Hofley said the explosion damaged the law office, adding investigators believe it was an isolated incident.
Witnesses told CBC News they saw a woman who was covered in blood being taken from the building.
Police taped off part of River Avenue before 11 a.m., pushing the barrier back several times as more emergency crews continued to arrive on the scene.
Winnipeg Transit said routes 68, 99 and 185 have been diverted from the area.
Police are asking people downtown to avoid the area.
Separately, there was another large police presence in front of a downtown office building in Winnipeg Friday afternoon.
People working at 444 St. Mary Ave. left the building at around 12:30 p.m., police said. The building contains three law firms, among other businesses.
CBC reporter Louis-Philippe LeBlanc spoke with someone from the building who said officers did a sweep of the seventh, eighth and ninth floors. They have since been cleared.
An employee with one of the businesses in the building told CBC News she was told to leave her office and that she wouldn't be allowed back today.
Police originally told media that they didn't order the evacuation, but the employee said it was officers who told her to leave.
St. Mary Avenue between Kennedy Street and Vaughan Street was closed shortly after 1 p.m.
Hofley said he could not confirm if the two incidents were related.